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Michael Setter will be a Guest speaker at SHARE Sofia 2017

Michael Setter, founder of Setter Architects, will give a presentation on creative and sustainable work spaces, talking about the theme and concept behind the Facebook project, and will demonstrate the idea of sustainable offices in other projects designed by Setter Architects, such as Google & Autodesk offices.

About the office

In 1984, Michael Setter founded Setter Architects Ltd, a design firm that specialises in architecture and interior design on various scales. Among the firms’ clients are some of the most famous brands in the world such as Google (Haifa & Tel-Aviv), Facebook, Cisco, Verint, Autodesk, Motorola, embassies around the world and many more.

Setter Architects is considered one of the leading interior design firms in Israel, servicing multinational corporations as well as various private and public organizations. The firm specializes in modern design with an emphasis on integrating international style with the client’s unique organizational culture. The firm’s expertise at combining creative design with the needs of the client, results in projects that lend prestige to the client’s business or organization.

Whether managing large-scale design projects for corporate campuses or shopping centers, or working with mid-size companies looking to upgrade their image, or even with private residences, Setter Architect’s designs ensure a natural integration with the surrounding public areas.

Setter Architects has been working with global companies for the last 15 years, experience that has exposed the office to the aspect of health and environmental issues in the work environment. The space encourages collaboration, creativity and innovation. The occupants of the space enjoy wide and open spaces, a plethora of interaction areas, acoustics, privacy and some control over personal workspace, playing with light and colors, easy navigation within office space.

The importance of interior architecture for offices

For decades, the office buildings were divided into spaces with room for a few people, the communication and circulation were eased by walls and doors. This kind of arrangement is outdated and unproductive, and the new ideal – introduced in 1950 – was a large open space, where fit dozens of desks, breaking material and symbolic boundaries. The idea behind the concept of open space was so that people can move and interact more freely, which would stimulate creative thinking and lead to a faster resolution of issues. From vast office spaces, undivided, open-type “hall”, the concept of open space was refined and were designed spaces performing increasingly better, the decor was enriched with creative areas, plants, art and interactive spaces.

The interior architecture can suport the company culture and even upgrade it. When it comes to office design, the efficiency and performance is very important and is related to the design of the space. Studies have proven the need of some factors for an optimal office space: plants and vertical gardens gives workers a brief escape — physically and mentally – from the office setting, customizing the workspace increases productivity, natural light improves mood and health, teams working in groups partially isolated are more productive. Workplaces that reflect and incorporates various elements of local culture lead to better motivated employees.

Encouraging collaboration in the workplace and increase employees’ creativity is a factor for the growth potential of the company, and this is also the mentality of Facebook. In response, Setter Architects openly organized spaces to make it as accessible, and flexible, as possible. Various seating and work arrangements can be used, with multiple environments in which to foster spontaneity and creativity. The employees enjoy an open, well-lit and functional workspace; its main goal is to serve the personnel and grant them diverse seating and working areas.

About the project

The Israeli chapter of social networking company – Facebook is spread over four floors in a high rise building located at 22 Rothschild Boulevard, Tel-Aviv. Synced with the company’s values the space serves its inhabitants. There is an emphasis on relating to the urban environment in which the office is located, a local cultural and social habitat that incorporates elements from the middle-eastern, Tel-Aviv and Jaffa principles, as well as the use of recycled materials. Respectively, the materials and architectural elements that were chosen were reinterpreted yielding unique artifacts such as: window shutters from the settling Templar period converted to a shutter cladded kitchen island, the well-known ornamental tiles reintroduced as imprinted arabesques on the concrete floor, both residing in the cafeteria. The above mentioned elements provide the restaurant a local urban feel. In another area, vintage wood panels were taken apart and reconstructed to form a library in the center of the open space. Additional local objects include old solar water heaters and gas tanks that were transformed into planters that enrich and embellish the space.

One of the feature components in the space is the staircase composed of steel and the rail of metal mesh net, a material that was very popular in Tel-Aviv’s past construction. The wall of the stair shaft entails in it (throughout the four floors) a custom made artwork. The art integrates colorful arabesque graphics and various wooden elements that create a harmonious three dimensional visual.